I have seen a screen grab off SL website (may now have been changed)
Semi Final 1. Friday 16 September. 1st v Lowest ranked Winner.
So Semi Final 2 is played before Semi Final 1 is it?
It's a complete farce & done to accommodate that lot who can't get their own ground sorted. Farcical
Edit: my bad. Not got the dates but still states this game as semi final 1
https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport...rugby-24903688
Saints fans getting slated
Saints diadvantaged on 2 fronts, less recovery time and probably with less ticket sales more people watch the game on C4. Don't mind the fans and club moaning a bit about the RFL going against tradition don't think its happened before.
If Wigoon qualify first for the Grand Final do they then revert back to tradition in which fans have which stand.
Last edited by STIDDY; 2nd September 2022 at 08:36.
So now will folk aknowledge that the RFL through various means have been working to prevent Saints from being succesful for a fourth season? All season I've read people saying that the refs aren't biased, they're just incompetent. Then we've seen Saints players suspended after nearly every game, some with lttle justification, whilst Crust Munchers like Smithies and others get away scot free. Now the most obvious machinations of all, changing the rules to accomodate a team which doesn't own its own ground, to disadvantage Saints. Come on RFL, tell the Pies that they must play on the Saturday, at a venue of their choice, since they haven't managed to secure their own venue. Or are you once again, going to officiate Wigan in a different and more accomodating fashion than the rest (especially the Champions) of SL?
But.....its not the rules. Do folk realise just how petty we make ourselves appear?....The world hates us etc....If I was reading this crap as a fan of someone else I'd be despising everything about our team/club. Let's get a grip...embrace what's in front of us and ffs change this odious record.
It is what it is..
It's 14 hours different, concussion protocols aren't a factor..
It's a poor excuse if we lost
Never understood some of the points in these threads, if you can't make the game then I feel for you, you've got a genuine reason to have a go. The rest of the stuff, just get on with it, were either good enough or were not. F**k em
It's ridiculous and unprofessional by the rfl etc but as a sport we're used to that. Let's just get on with it and focus on the important things. Plus the 1 positive to this decision is it gives the likes of Hopoate percival Walmsley etc a little bit more time to get fit and ready. Yes it's only a few hours but I'm sure Woolf and the coaching staff will put the extra time to good use in prep for the SF.
If there is a plot to prevent Saint’s from breaking the SL record by winning four in a row (like some on here feel) then what a massive FU it would be to them if we did it!!! Glass half full boys and girls.
There is not plot, but I have no doubt sky will have been gently encouraged to pick Wigan to avoid issues.
It is what it is - who knows, the extra day before the semi might make a difference to Percy, Hoppa or someone else.
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I know this isn't ideal and we'd all probably have preferred it the other way round but I think some people are going a bit over the top. Is anyone genuinely going to stop watching RL altogether because this?
For some, it might be seen as the final straw?
It doesn't bother me personally. You could even argue the we will have an extra day to rest before the SF!
However, I can see where people are coming from over this, particularly as it involves Wigan.
Edit. Sorry. Just read FTVs comment about the extra day. I must pay more attention!
I mentioned this also 2 posts prior.
It's ridiculous and unprofessional by the rfl etc but as a sport we're used to that. Let's just get on with it and focus on the important things. Plus the 1 positive to this decision is it gives the likes of Hopoate percival Walmsley etc a little bit more time to get fit and ready. Yes it's only a few hours but I'm sure Woolf and the coaching staff will put the extra time to good use in prep for the SF.
I don't think the club will make too much of this and will keep things focused on what we can control, our game on Saturday against Toulouse and then all guns blazing for the semi final.
Purely selfish point of view.
But Saturday is perfect for me. Im usually racing round to get home for Friday night games.
I've enjoyed arguing with the Wigan fans on RL fans about this but if I'm brutally honest its neither here nor there. The 15 hours rest won't make a difference, concussion protocols aren't a factor and for all those who can't now go on a Saturday there will be others that couldn't go on a Friday but can now go to the Saturday game. Income from gate receipts aren't affected either as play off games are split equally across all the teams taking part.
Sky have clearly helped the RFL by choosing the Wigan game- who knows whether they were always going to do this or not regardless of the stadium situation.
I was thinking more generally, and I don't think that anyone is out to get us.
You will have read the sort of things people have been saying about the way the sport is played, run and covered today when compared to years gone by.
You perhaps contributed to the letter that Gray77 put together?
You probably read DD's 'State of the game' thread a few years back.
Personally, none of these issues are stopping me from following Saints, but if I'm honest, I'm finding it difficult to get excited about our WC for example, and I've missed several of the C4 TV games. I've never had SKY, but had access to a PC app during COVID, so can see why folks are unimpressed there.
I'll be renewing my ST next season. I'll probably go to a few WC games and maybe take in a couple of Skolars games, if they're still playing, but I'm not so surprised that some people are drifting away from the sport.
It's interesting that you say other teams supporters have a similar perception. I find that worrying. Something needs to change, and I'm not sure a shallow survey from IMG is going to provide the answers!
I'm not too bothered myself. I'd have preferred the Friday, just because its a better kick off time I think and the atmosphere is always better for a night time game but it doesn't really make much of a difference for the players. We just need to get on with it, it's not a rule that 1st gets the earlier game, it's always been down to the TV schedule and obviously channel 4 have come in this year. If anything Saints will be broadcast to more eyes on terrestrial TV so that's a good thing.
We played 2nd last year and the year before and won it so it clearly doesn't make much difference.
Originally Posted by Despondent Dave
We can always hope Wigan lose their semi and listen to the jokers on Sky explain it.....
"The great fallacy is that the game is first and last about winning. It is nothing of the kind. The game is about glory, it is about doing things in style and with a flourish, about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom." Danny Blanchflower.
Might have been written by a footballer about football - but never a truer word............
For anyone not attending at least they don’t have to suffer the SKY clowns covering our game.
screaming in the family corner, scaring the kiddies